WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2017 SPORTS England begin Six Nations title defense against Italy

LONDON: England will start the defense of back-to-back Grand Slams this year, ing the title-winners. Friday night rugby eight uncapped players in their squad to are also missing , Rob their Six Nations title away to Italy, it was begin their Six Nations away to France on remains a part of the competition in both face the United States and Japan next Kearney and through injury announced yesterday after organizers pub- February 3 with Wales at home to seasons, with France hosting Italy in 2018 month as coach Joe Schmidt handed a but can count on the experience of Keith lished the fixtures for both the 2018 and Scotland on the same day. and Wales in 2019. The final round of number of younger players the chance to Earls, and for the 2019 Championships. Eddie Jones’s men The Championship has remained a sev- matches on March 16, 2019 sees Italy at impress with 11 regulars touring with the tour starting in the U.S. on June 10. begin their 2018 campaign in on en-week competition, with rest weeks after home to France, Wales welcoming Ireland British and Irish Lions. Schmidt picked four Schmidt’s squad travel to Japan for two February 4 against an Italy side who, the second and third rounds, despite the to and England taking on Scotland forwards for the first time - Connacht hook- tests on June 17 and 24, a preview of their although they finished bottom and with- likes of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning at Twickenham. er Dave Heffernan, Ulster lock Kieran 2019 World Cup meeting having been out a win, briefly caused England problems coach Clive Woodward calling for it to be “We are delighted to confirm the fixture Treadwell and Leinster pair of Andrew drawn in the same group last week. There with their ‘no-ruck’ ploy at Twickenham shortened into a five-week event to better dates for the 2018 Championship, coming Porter and James Ryan, the highly-rated will also be a fresh look to the coaching during this season’s Six Nations. replicate what happens at ’s shortly after a record-breaking 2017 edi- 20-year-old second row who has yet to staff with former internationals Ronan England are then at home to Wales major global tournament. France will con- tion,” Six Nations Rugby chairman Pat play a senior game for the province. O’Gara, Girvan Dempsey and Felix Jones, before travelling to for a tinue to fly the flag for Friday night rugby, Whelan said in a statement. “We enjoyed Munster centre Rory Scannell, who was who have all recently moved into coaching, clash against Scotland and which has been criticised for making life record figures across TV and digital and called up to the Irish squad during this sea- joining the touring party for different parts playing France away before concluding more difficult for away supporters in par- look forward to continuing that trend over son’s Six Nations but did not win a , was of the trip. “There is a real freshness to the their Championship at home to Ireland ticular, by hosting Italy in 2018 and Wales the next two seasons.” included alongside three other potential group, including the coaching staff, so on March 17 — the middle game of in 2019. The 2019 fixture list also has debutant backs - Connacht scrumhalf John we’re looking forward to what will be a ‘Super Saturday’ when all six teams are in England away to Ireland on the opening IRELAND NAME EIGHT UNCAPPED PLAYERS Cooney, Leinster centre Rory O’Loughlin, very challenging summer tour,” Schmidt action. Ireland, who denied England weekend-a potentially key game in decid- Meanwhile in , Ireland named and Ulster fullback . Ireland said in a statement. — Agencies Brawn willing to work with MotoGP on F1 race calendar

LONDON: Formula One has sounded out BEST DRIVERS MotoGP for cooperation and advice as the He said the way in which MotoGP’s junior sport embarks on a period of change under series formed part of the same race weekend new owners Liberty Media. Ross Brawn, the was also “a great example of where we should former Ferrari technical director who has run be”, with talent rising to the top and a clear three teams and is now Formula One’s man- career progression that fans could easily fol- aging director for motorsport, said he was low. Formula One drivers enter the sport from open to learning lessons from any other various series and some are chosen by cash- series. The Briton told Reuters that he and strapped teams more for their financial con- Carmelo Ezpeleta, chief executive of MotoGP tribution than talent alone. rights holders Dorna, had discussed “areas of “We should have the 22 or 24 best driv- cooperation and how we can learn from what ers in the world in Formula One,” said each of us does” at last weekend’s Spanish Brawn. “There are commercial considera- Grand Prix in Barcelona. On a basic level, that tions... which means we don’t always means working to limit a clash of calendars. achieve that. “It’s a complex problem The first two rounds of this year’s Formula because you have to put the teams in a One and MotoGP championships were on the position where they don’t have to make same weekends, and six more will clash later those commercial decisions, they just make in the year. They include MotoGP’s final round the decision based on the strongest drivers in Valencia on Nov. 12, the same day as they can find.” Formula One’s Brazilian Grand Prix-both title- A fairer distribution of revenues deciders in the past. Brawn said such clashes among teams, deciding what kind of were “not smart”. “We’re not too proud to con- future engine the sport should have and sult with other championships and work out building cars that allow closer racing are the best way forward,” he said, speaking in all big long-term items in Brawn’s in-tray. Formula One Management’s new paddock None offer quick solutions, with existing hospitality at the Circuit de Catalunya. team contracts running to 2020, and the “It’s difficult to juggle dates, and you can’t immediate emphasis is putting the people in always achieve what you want, but at least place to analyze and assess and come up with we’re having a dialogue to try and work it substantial arguments. Brawn said he was out.” There were other areas where Formula “reasonably happy” with progress. One could learn lessons, he added. “I like the “There’s not going to be a revolution in meritocracy that they have between Moto3, Formula One where suddenly we come up Moto2 and MotoGP. I like the progression that with a big change and everything gets better. they have. “I think it’s interesting looking at It’s going to be a constant process,” he said. the commercial side, the way they structure “Until we get the capacity to really under- the teams and the deals and the way it works stand the direction the sport should change for the customer teams. I think it’s an interest- to, we’re not going to change any of the big ing element.” things. It’s just too risky.” — Reuters

Dumoulin flies to pink, ROME: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal serves to Austrian tennis player Dominic Thiem during their ATP Madrid Open final match in Madrid, Quintana drops to 2nd on May 14, 2017. — AFP MONTEFALCO: Dutchman Tom Dumoulin finish at Blockhaus on stage nine Sunday, Nadal can’t fault Federer cruised to victory in the 10th stage time tri- Quintana-covered from head to toe in pink- al of the Giro d’Italia on Tuesday to claim dropped to second overall at 2:23 behind the race leader’s pink jersey from Dumoulin after narrowly avoiding disaster Colombian Nairo Quintana. Dumoulin, of when he had to bunny-hop over a traffic for skipping clay season the Sunweb team, flew over the rolling, divider. Dutchman, Bauke Mollema (Trek), 39.8 km course in the Sagrantino wine- failed to finish among the top ten but growing region to finish in a winning time remains third at 2min 38sec, nine seconds ROME: Rafael Nadal believes the decision by speculated Nadal, who has won three clay titles in again in these events.” Nadal added: “It’s important of 50min 37sec and live up to his name as ahead of Frenchman Thibaut Pinot (FDJ). Roger Federer to skip Roland Garros and the clay three events competed in this season. “But think- for me that the clay court season started very, very the ‘Butterfly of Maastricht’. Although the race for the pink jersey will season is logical as the Spaniard yesterday pre- ing in a logical way, it would be strange if you well. It’s very important part of the season for me.” Britain’s Geraint Thomas (Sky), still nurs- be decided in the climb-heavy third week of pared to start the Rome Masters. The world num- don’t play on clay in one event and then you start With this week a new challenge, seven-time Rome ing a sore arm from the effects of a crash on the race, Dumoulin was delighted with a ber four does not begrudge his Swiss rival for on the biggest one, playing best of five.” champion Nadal is not dwelling on past successes. stage nine, was second at 49secs, with stage win that boosts his chances of main- skipping the 2017 spring clay season to concen- “Here I am in Rome, I’m here to keep trying my Luxembourg’s former race leader Bob taining his challenge. “It’s a nice gap to go trate on Wimbledon and the grass-court run-up. ‘VERY EMOTIONAL’ best in an event that I love so much. I had some Jungels (Quick Step) in third at 56sec and into the mountains with,” said Dumoulin. Federer owns an Australian Open title and As for his own game, the Spaniard could not unbelievable memories in this court. Italy’s defending champion Vincenzo Nibali “But like Nairo Quintana showed on (stage Masters 1000 honors in Indian Wells and Miami be happier as he keeps the chance of a record “A lot of important matches in my career I (Bahrain) sixth, at 2min 07sec. Movistar nine to) Blockhaus, he’s the better climber, this season since coming back from a six-month 10th title next month in the back of his mind played here. So I’m just trying to be ready for that. climbing specialist Quintana was expected and a lot can happen in the third week. “But injury lay-off. after winning Monte Carlo and Barcelona ten “I am happy to be here again, happy the way I am to lose significant time to pre-stage this win is in the pocket. It was already a “Everybody does what feels better for them,” each and adding another last weekend in Madrid. playing, and let’s see what happens tomorrow. “I favourite Dumoulin, and kept to the form- pretty successful Giro for us, but now we Nadal, who starts in the Foro Italico second round “I already won three tournaments on clay, so I want to be high in the ranking, because if I am book over a rolling route from Foligno to have the stage win and the jersey.” “It’s a little against Nicolas Almagro, said. “If he doesn’t play am playing well. I am very happy about the begin- high in the ranking means I am playing well. Montefalco whose technical finish prompt- worse than I was hoping for ... but we’ll find one tournament before the French (Open), it’s ning of the season,” said the 14-time That’s all. I said before the season that I’m not ed a number of riders to crash. a way to claw back some time,” Quintana normal that he finally skip the French, no?” Nadal winner. “Not only on clay. On every surface. I think gonna to try to be number one again. “If it hap- After climbing to victory on the summit said at the finish. —AFP suggested that the decision was made well ahead I am playing great events in all the surfaces since pens because I am playing so well, great. But I am of its announcement and would have been taken the beginning of the year.” “Very emotional events not going to do a calendar to try to be number as a strategy move by the 35-year-old’s coaching everywhere, because in all of the events I’m play- one. “What worries me is trying to be healthy, try team. “Probably he had that decision before. ing on clay, I had a lot of success in my career, so to be competitive, and the most important thing Probably he didn’t want to announce before,” I’m trying to enjoy every day, the fact I am playing is be happy.” — AFP Ben Johnson ad slammed for glorifying drug cheats

SYDNEY: A controversial commercial by an Australian sports betting company featuring dis- graced sprinter Ben Johnson has been slammed by the government for glorifying drug cheats. The 90-second advert by gambling firm Sportsbet introduces Johnson, at a desk sur- rounded by a medal and a trophy, as the 1988 Olympic gold medallist while attempting to Dale Steyn make light of the scene by superimposing “*For 48 hours” below the fallen star. Steyn’s quest for record stalls “When it comes to performance enhance- ment Ben really knows his stuff, which is why he : Dale Steyn’s quest to said he aims to play in two home Tests is happy to endorse Sportsbet’s new juiced-up become South Africa’s all-time leading Test against Bangladesh in September and Android app,” the narrator says, claiming the wicket-taker has been put back until at hopes to prove his fitness by returning to firm’s phone betting application was putting least September after he ruled himself out action when South Africa A play matches “the roid into Android”. Australian Sports of a Test series in England during July and against Australia A and India A in August. Minister Greg Hunt blasted the ad as “sending a August. Steyn, who turns 34 on June 27, It has been a frustrating two years for message that cheating’s okay and should be has been stuck on 417 Test wickets-four Steyn, who has only played in five of South rewarded and laughed at and glorified”. “They’re short of Shaun Pollock’s national record- Africa’s most recent 16 Tests, breaking glorifying a drug cheat and they’re paying a since suffering a stress fracture of the down in three of them, first with a groin known drug cheat a huge princely sum of mon- shoulder during a Test against Australia strain and twice because of shoulder prob- ey,” he told radio station 2GB late Monday. “So it’s last November. lems. During that period he has taken only an insult to clean athletes and, frankly, my view The fast bowler had been included in a 15 wickets after looking set to soar past is they should pull the ad and they should pay South Africa A squad to tour England in Pollock on the all-time list. Vernon the same amount to junior sport as they paid a Ben Johnson June in what was seen as a fitness test Philander, Steyn’s long-time new ball part- known drug cheat.” had registered an official complaint. “This advert world.” Sportsbet laughed off the controversy. ahead of the four-match Test series. But he ner, has also had injury problems. He has a Johnson was stripped of his 100-metre gold makes light of the use of performance enhancing “The outrage is so severe you could roast a told journalists in Johannesburg that his contract with English county Sussex, but medal in the 1988 Seoul Olympics after testing drugs in sport and sends the completely wrong marshmallow on it,” the firm said on its website. recovery has been slower than he hoped returned to South Africa last month for positive to steroids. The Canadian is joined in the message that the use of drugs in sport is normal,” “There was just one problem with all of this pub- and will not be able to join the A team or to treatment on a groin injury. But the county advert by a range of drug-cheating stereotypes, the doping watchdog said in a statement. lic outrage though. The public didn’t seem to be play in the Tests. “I am able to do a lot of expect him to return to action in a champi- including a cyclist in a yellow jacket, a muscular “This advertising campaign belittles the outraged at all. In fact, people kinda liked it,” things-running, hiking, gym work. But onship match against Durham starting swimmer and a Hulk-like body builder. The achievements of clean athletes and denigrates Sportsbet added, pointing to dozens of social bowling is not one of them,” he said. Steyn Sunday. — AFP Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority said it those who work to protect clean sport across the media posts endorsing the commercial. — AFP